Howard County Executive Charles I. Ecker was inaugurated to a second term last night amid all the well wishes he deserves. During an election where incumbency was considered a black mark, Mr. Ecker won re-election handily in a bitterly contested race. Residents felt justifiably confident that Mr. Ecker could steer Howard County through the next four years.
There is, in fact, ample cause to celebrate. In his first term, the recession dealt Mr. Ecker a budget crisis, which he brought under control with a combination of belt-tightening and a tax increase. Land-use policies he put into effect assure that growth will continue at a manageable level. The school system remains one of Maryland's best. Moreover, Mr. Ecker has engendered a spirit of goodwill through his insistence on open government and his willingness to consider many points of view.
Even with such a solid base of accomplishment, the future presents Mr. Ecker with sizable challenges. A long-delayed transportation plan is due in March and will focus on the county's road network and public transportation system. Also, the county must decide whether to move ahead with a plan to ship solid waste out of state and to seek a regional solution to its long-term disposal problem. In addition, the effort to bring business to the county must become more aggressive if Howard is to compete with other jurisdictions for the jobs and tax revenues that new business brings.
Most importantly, Mr. Ecker will have to continue to draw on his strength as a former budget director. If current projections hold, growth in revenue from income taxes will continue at a meager 3 percent, far short of the 10 percent hoped for. The result could be a $4 million shortfall by the end of the fiscal year. Officials are already looking at positions that can remain unfilled except in public safety, and discretionary spending has been put on hold.
If these austerity measures fail, the county has a $20 million "rainy day" fund created under Mr. Ecker's first term. But dipping into that is a last resort. The health of the county depends on its ability to adjust to the realities of a stagnant economy. That can only happen by making government as lean as it can be without damaging essential services. Mr. Ecker begins his second term with a mandate to achieve that goal.